Classic Game Essay: Platforming Perfection

Mario & Luigi return in one of the most well-regarded games in history

Some things never go out of style. The Chevrolet Camaro, white T-shirts, The Beatles, Seinfield-- these are but a few examples of things that connected so well with its target audience that they will forever be relevant in some way, shape, or form. And in 1990, US gamers would receive something that would earn its own spot in those same hallowed halls of omni-relevance in the world of video games. Originally released two years prior in Japan, series creator Shigeru Miyamoto and his crack team of Nintendo EAD ninjas crafted Super Mario Bros. 3-- a game that would go on to exceed the first game in sales, fandom, and legendary status. Mario, Luigi, and rest of characters that made up the Mario universe at the time had officially hit there stride in a way that was undeniable.

But even before its release in the US, anticipation for the game was building thanks to a little movie starring Fred Savage called “The Wizard”. In it, Nintendo licensed certain NES products to be used as a means of cross-advertising to get kids (and therefore their parents) rushing to nearest toy store to buy their stuff. One of the biggest showpieces (and the only reason I saw the movie) was this latest Mario game. Later, there was TV commercials depicting what we could assume was the world’s population of kids clamoring for Mario. Such methods of advertising built intense hype and expectancy for the game. And amazingly, it lived up to every bit of it.

Well, Bowser is up to his old tricks again, which means that it’s time for Mario & Luigi to embark on another adventure. This time the Mushroom Kingdom is not under threat; but in the nearby Mushroom World, all is not well. There, Bowser has sent his 7 children-- Larry Koopa, Roy Koopa, Lemmy Kooopa, Ludwig Von Koopa, Iggy Koopa, Wendy Koopa, and Morton Koopa Jr.-- to make trouble as they please in this otherwise peaceful place. They’ve stolen the magic wands from each country and used them to turn their kings into animals. Princess Toadstool of the Mushroom Kingdom sends Mario & Luigi off to journey deep into the Mushroom World to battle Bowser’s little troublemakers and set things back in order again.

At its core, Super Mario Bros. 3 was a good example of going back to go forward. Instead of attempting to “further” the gameplay aesthetics of the previous game, a return was made to the more familiar roots of the original Super Mario Brothers. Gone were the offputtingly difficult level designs and poison mushrooms of the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 2 as well as the dramatic [though still welcome] gap in visual style and presentation of its made-for-America counterpart. These aspects were replaced with the tried and true mechanics of novice-friendly challenges that progressively increased and familiar power-ups and enemy characters that reflected the content found in the first game. Of course, this didn’t mean that there was nothing new was offered here. If anything, plenty of great things were introduced here that would contribute to its status of being one of the most memorable gaming experiences on the NES.

This was the first Super Mario game to showcase a fairly wide range of power-ups that would greatly enhance Mario's capabilities. In addition to staples like the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, and Starman, he could also use the Super Leaf, Frog Suit, and Tanooki Suit. The Super Leaf turns him into Raccoon Mario and allows him to fly after taking a running jump and pressing the A button repeatedly. The Frog Suit changes him into Frog Mario which grants him greater speed and agility underwater. It also allows him to access pipes that he otherwise would not be able to due to strong currents. The Tanooki Suit produces Tanooki Mario-- a costume that only be described as a cross between a bear and a raccoon. As with the Super Leaf, Mario can fly but he can also briefly avoid damage from enemy contact by turning into a statue. In addition to running, hopping on enemies, and busting bricks, Mario can also pick up the shell of a stomped Koopa Troopa (or other shelled enemy) and carry it for a short period of time. This technique gave you some creative ways to attack other enemies or break through bricks and coin blocks that couldn’t be bumped from below.

I think what I appreciated most about the game was how well the level design openly embraced Mario’s new-found abilities. You were encouraged to use your powers and use them often in order to find platforms and pipes containing goodies that were otherwise unreachable through normal means. I never felt like the game was penalizing me for using those nifty abilities. There are a total of 8 worlds, each with a different theme emphasized throughout-- Grass Land, Dessert Land, Water Land, Giant Land, Sky Land, Ice Land, Pipe Land, and Dark Land. I think my favorite was Giant Land simply because, true to the its name, the enemies and objects in many of that world’s levels were gigantic. It was a nice surprise once I played through it for the first time when I was a kid. Another nice addition was the world map where you navigated Mario to next section of the currently world you were on. This feature really put the finishing touch on the presentation of the overall game.

Each level sported well detailed graphics with both familiar and new enemies, background elements, and animations for Mario. To this day, I never tire of playing through each world and taking in the great visual design that was put into this grand game. The musical compositions are just as enjoyable as the other elements that make up the game. I can best describe it as being uniquely Super Mario Bros. oriented ranging from upbeat, adventurous tunes of the over-world levels, to the more brooding melodies of the fortress and airship battles. And who can forget the Legend of Zelda reference briefly heard after giving the Warp Whistle a toot? And the game oozes personality with its roster of unforgettable enemies. From familiar foes like Goombas, Bullet Bills, and Cheep-Cheeps, to newcomers like Boo, Dry Bones, and the Koopa Kids, every character was a worthy addition to the Mario universe.

SMB 3 also features a 2-player mode, allowing buddy to join you as Luigi. It was improved since the last time we all got to buddy up in the first Super Mario Bros. game in a two important ways. First, the game is played on a turn-by-turn basis instead of having to wait for the other player to lose a life. The other notable feature is the Mario Bros. mini game [as well as others] that can be played if Luigi scrolls over Mario’s location on the map or viceversa (and the other player presses the A button). It was a fun way to battle for the next turn because the winner could proceed to next level on the map. The game was also chock-full of hidden secrets that the designers obviously wanted you find throughout your adventure through the 8 worlds. The best for me was finding the much coveted Hammer Bros. suit. I always felt unstoppable once I had Mario don that awesome armor.

Without a doubt, Super Mario Bros. 3 was one of the few games that actually lived up to the hype surrounding its release. Instead of merely riding on the coattails of the popularity generated by the previous games in the series, SMB 3 far exceeded the expectations that most had prior to seeing the game in action on our NES consoles. The game was a beautiful example of how to make a classic all over again fairly well into a series’ existence. It’s easy to get a hold of this 8-bit gem nowadays. You can find it on the Virtual Console for 500 points on the Wii. Hopefully, this will also show up on the VC service for the 3DS handheld as well. And of course, you old school purists out there can hunt for the original cartridge on eBay or your local used NES game store. No matter how you decide to get your hands on it, Super Mario Bros. 3 is a game worthy of any gamer’s collection.

Yes Sir!

Bringing me back!

SMB 3 was one of my favorite games ever. You could choose to exploit the heck out of its' "secret short cuts" but you could also willingly go down the harder and more rewarding path. The onle area I couldn't stand was "World 7, Pipe Land". Without strategically used P-wings it was nay impossible!

Super Mario Bros. 3...

Is a classic, but I will always favor Super Mario World, but that is probably because the original commercials blew me away with the Giant Boo and other Super NES graphical effects. I loved the gameplay and Yoshi too.

My problem with Super Mario Bros. 3 is that when I am playing it, I want to play Super Mario World.

However Super Mario Bros. 3 is still legendary and deserves all the praise it receives.

Super NES stuff

I remember being thouroughly impressed when I saw extensive gameplay of Super Mario World for the first time. Seeing the huge Boo, massive Bullet Bills, and super fun levels made love that system every time I played it.

Giant World

Dude, I remember being in awe of Giant World when I first played it. You're right, the game has excellent level design esp for use with Mario's power-ups. Oh and I was just wondering, do you play any current gen games?

SMB3 is so classic I have it for about 3 different systems

All Nintendo though, hahaha. I always wondered what they would have done IF it had flopped (which, I should bite my tongue for spouting). In many ways SMB3 is what led to so many of the innovations that kept Mario challenging and well worth going thru again and again.

Multi ports

I think I have this games on three different forms as well. I have the original NES cart, Super Mario All-Stars, and Super Mario All-Stars+Super Mario World. SMB 3 is just one of those games that you don't mind having multiple versions of.

I remember my 1st time with SMB3

I was a Sonic fan and I was bored to death with Mario and then SMB3 released and I was a Mario fan again. My friend & I played SMB3 all day & night. It was a great time. Its one of my favorite Mario games. I consider it way better than the modern Mario games.

recent games

Yeah, the last Mario I loved was Super Mario 64. I didn't like Sunshine and I didn't like Galaxy 1. I hadn't played Galaxy 2 yet. It's only my list. I forgot I did play New Super Mario Bros Wii. I liked it but not more than I like SMB3.

Loved SMB3

I remember spending hours with that game and I still have some of its background music stuck in my head. I was proud of myself for figuring out that on the boat stage near the end, I could actually go under the second boat and keep hitting jump and Mario would just stay under that boat until it passed and then I would just hop back up onto the third boat (which was easier to get pass in my opinion) and finish that stage.